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Chapter 72 Part 3 – The Beginning of a Tragic Night

「…… Well, I’ve put together a list of the worshippers of the devil here. You just have to read it out. It’s a very simple task. So, what’s your decision? You can save your twin brother and older sister by just saying a few names. There is no need to hesitate. After all, if you refuse, the Inquisition will use all its power to show the scene of hell to all three of you siblings.」

After saying so, Matthew proceeded to describe a series of horrifying torture methods that were incomparable to the torture Ronny had experienced. Ronny shuddered. The torture methods that Matthew describe would make any sinner scream and say, 「I beg you. Please kill me. I’ll tell you anything.」

「…… Anyway, you should hurry up and make your decision. Otherwise your twin brother will die. Think about it carefully. Humans cannot protect everything. Who do you really want to protect?」

Matthew grabbed Teddy’s convulsing neck with one hand.
He easily hung Teddy up by the neck and waved him in the air to show it to Ronny.

「Hey, hey, there’s no time for hesitation. Will you save Teddy who tried to sacrifice himself to protect his family? Or will you be loyal to strangers you don’t even know and abandon Teddy? The decision is in your hands. Be decisive like a man.」

Seeing Ronny trembling and unable to respond, Matthew laughed.

「Teddy, you seem to be a little sick. Let me speak in your stead. Please save me, big brother!!! Hmm, imitating a boy soprano voice is a little tough for me.」

Said Matthew in a revolting tone as he violently shook Teddy who was made to look like a ventriloquist doll.
Teddy’s complexion turned purple from cyanosis.
Matthew laughed.

「Oh, Teddy, maybe you should fix your makeup.」

「Teddy ……!!」

Ronny screamed and cried.

People who stand on the edge of despair lose the ability to make normal judgments.
They cannot abandon their blood-related family.
If there is any semblance of hope hanging in the air, they try to cling to it right away.
Matthew understood that very well.

「…… If I do as you say, will you really save sister Rona and Teddy?」

Ronny fell for the devil’s temptation.

Matthew smiled broadly.

「Yes!! Of course!! You’ve made a good decision!! Well then, let’s record the statement right away.」

Ronny hung his head down and nodded.
Tears fell down on his knees.
Ronny had already given up on surviving.
He knew how cruel Matthew could be.
He knew that after this he would most likely be subjected to the torture that Matthew had just threatened him with.

‘Witches and their families constantly receive whispers from the devil and try to deceive us. The only way to counter it and get the truth out of them is through torture. And the confession elicited by torture can be tested for authenticity by seeing if the same confession will be made under more severe torture.’

Those were the words Ronny heard in the basement of the Inquisition.
Even if he miraculously made it out of the torture alive, the town’s inhabitants would tear him to pieces.
Still, he wanted to save his older sister and brother.

Ronny was prepared to die.
He was not foolish enough to take Matthew’s words at face value when he said that if he cooperated, their situation would be extenuated.

But Matthew’s viciousness far exceeded Ronny’s expectations.
Matthew had no intention of keeping the promise that Ronny had put his life on the line for.
No matter how cooperative he became, he planned to kill both Ronny and Teddy from the beginning.

‘「Death」 is the best excuse to renege on all promises. The dead can’t complain, so if I kill them all, everything will be fine.’

That is Matthew’s accursed philosophy of life.

Ronny’s sad self-sacrifice didn’t make a ripple in that heart.
Matthew feels no sense of guilt in accusing people of crimes they have never committed.
Despite all his talk about God, there is no God in Matthew’s heart.
He lacks the devoutness to fear anything.

In his heart, there is only himself.
He is even worse than a religious fanatic.

But the idea that he is everything is no different from that of a child with an immature mind.
He is just another inadequate member of the herd.
He is not fit to be a part of the herd and will be rejected.
It is the natural order of things that defectives are weeded out.

However, if that person is so unusual to the extent that he can manipulate the herd to his liking.
And if he turns that place into his feeding ground.

Far from being weeded out, he would become a horribly dangerous monster that freely devours the herd called human society.

There are spiders that mimic ants, blend in with the group, and prey on the ants.
That’s what Matthew is.

For Matthew, who has no sympathy for others, the witch hunt is an exciting game of fire, blood, and paranoia that can turn an entire town into a hunting ground. Moreover, it comes with the bonus of being able to confiscate all of that person’s property and assets if he is executed for being a witch or a witch’s family.

For Matthew, it is the best entertainment that combines both hobby and profit.

「…… Witches can be increased one after another simply by torturing them. Moreover, there is no need to raise them, all we have to do is uproot them. I can’t imagine a better harvest than this. …… Hey, you’re here right?」

Matthew walked a short distance behind John, who was carrying Ronny and Teddy on his shoulders, and called out in a low, subdued voice.

「…… Yes, we’re present.」

Several voices responded from the shadows of the building. They are Matthew’s subordinates.

「Burn down this slum the night after tomorrow. Make sure no one sees you. If word were to spread that the town mayor’s faction was retaliating, the people here would take it seriously, and they would soon turn into a group of mobs. I’ll also finish my preparations by then. I’m going to tear this town apart.」

After issuing the evil order, Matthew narrowed his eyes.

「A herd that cares for each other and is united is strong. They will not take kindly to a witch hunt. But once they are at odds with each other, once they are riddled with insecurity and doubt, the herd turns into a hell of harming each other. As for us, we must work diligently to lay the groundwork for the blooming of a great witch hunt. …… Ohh, there you are. Now then, let’s make our final preparations.」

Matthew stopped and looked down at the dead drunk man sitting on the ground.

With his back against the wall and his eyes unfocused, he was drooling and muttering to himself in a slurred speech. He smelled of stale alcohol. There were liquor bottles lying around him.

「Nice to meet you. You must be the father of Rona, Ronny and Teddy. I’m so envious of you, you have such splendid children.」

When Matthew smiled and talked to him, Rona’s father glared at him with drunken eyes, pointed a finger at him, and shouted.
Then the tip of Matthew’s boot thrusted into his stomach.

「…… Hey, know your place. How dare a mere excretion-making machine like you point your finger at me.」

With a smile on his face, Matthew stepped on the back of Rona’s father as he bent over and vomited. His face was pressed into his own vomit.

「Oops, excuse me. You’ve also produced your own vomit. Do you want to die just like this? Ooh, it seems like your vomit has nothing but alcohol. Drowning to death in a sea of your favorite booze …… This is the best possible end for a waste like you right? Though the smell does stink a bit on the nose.」

Looking at Rona’s father squirming in agony, Matthew smiled.
He had a terrifying devilish smile on his face.

「But you should be grateful. I have good news for you. I’ll let you hold the keys to your children’s lives. You must be happy right? It’s a show that is too good for someone like you. This is a game. If you can open your eyes because of the so-called family love, I’ll save your children unconditionally. I look forward to an exciting conclusion.」